Arizona weekly enterprise., 1887-07-09
DO WE EVER FORGET

Cultivation of the Memory-The Need of
 Severe Discipline.
 The quality of the mind which we call memory has been well ikened to store house, into which have been thrust, with out any definite order or arrangement, precious things and worthless things, priceless treasures and useless rubbish. The mechanical task of selecting from the confused heap a particular thing which is needed is called an effort of the memory, but should rather be called an arousal or excitation of the memory; for it is all but certain that from the vast storehouse nothing ever disappears, noth- ing is ever lost, only when we cannot find just what we want at the time we want it, we say we have forgotten.
 It may be bold assertion to say that we never forget; that is, that nothing is ever absolutely lost beyond the possibility of recollection, or regathering, as the word means, but the facts bear out the claim that in the strict sense of the word we never forget.
 It is Q common expression to say that one person has much finer memory than another; but it only means that the one
  which the other has never cultivated, or which has become weakened through disease. It is undoubtedly true that some hsve a higher natural power of this kind, just as some mems muscles are naturally stronger than others; but the faculty ex- ists in all who are of sound mind, and can certainly be cultivated to a degree which seems extraordinary to those who have never looked into or thought upon the subject.
 Cultivation of the art of memory which, by the way, is a singularly exact expression for the process-is matter upon which much thought and attention have been bestowed, and as to which opinions have widely differed. The lit erature Of mnemotecl.ny has becop1e very extensive and many systems sartificiri memory have been devised tp heip those whose ideas and associatio4s lack sequence, and who do not know how to set about the task of recollectinS. But all these are outside the real idea of cultivating the memory. They are aids to an unused or untrained faculty, noth- ing more. They are simply the applica- tion of mechanical force to help out a weak or enfeebled muscle; they are not the muscle itself.
 The memory can be cultivated, strengthened, made efficient and accurate ill only one way-by systematic and per sistent exercise. It docs not differ in this respect from any other human faculty, whether of mind or body. Muscle and intellect are subject to the same rules and the same conditions; use strengthens, dislse weakens. An in efficient, feeble r-emory must be put under rigid discipline and exercise sys- tematioally, and especially used in those directions in which it is most defective. Memories differ very widely, as to the objects which they grasp with ease or difficulty. One remembers dates with accuracy, another is always uncertain about them; one remembers faces per. fectly, another always confuses them one remembers the sequence of events another i' never absolutely certain as tc historic order or precedence; one recol iects only the gravest and most import ant affairs, another only froth and non sense.
 Each case of uncertain or defective memory calls for his own treatment, anC that IS severe discipline. A poor memory for dates can be made better by hart study of chronology; the useless facult, of remembering trivial things can b cured by an exclusive study of matter of consequence.
 We have said that the natural memor, differs widely in different people, ano history furnishes many incidents of per sons remarkable for the strength of thei memories; but the wonderful feats per formed by these only establishes tn truth of the general proposition, that W never really forget anything, just as re markable instances of muscular develop ment demonstrate the latent power o the muscle and show the extent to whicl the forces of the human body may be in creased.-San Francisco Chronicle.
 Narv York Rock Agent.